


when you take my hand

by smartbuckley



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Episode Spoilers, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Good Parent Owen Strand, Nervous TK Strand, Panic Attack, Protective Owen Strand, TK Strand Needs A Hug, Worried Owen Strand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-19 09:20:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29624073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smartbuckley/pseuds/smartbuckley
Summary: “Your Mom is pregnant,” TK hears and he finds himself blinking, his mouth dropping open as he tries to process what he just heard. His Mom is pregnant? TK can’t help but cringe at that thought before his eyes widen and he closes his mouth.----Or, Owen tells his son he's going to be a big brother, and TK has some doubts about their relationship.
Relationships: Owen Strand & TK Strand
Comments: 6
Kudos: 81
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	when you take my hand

**Author's Note:**

> This contains light spoilers for all episodes. There's light mentions of TK having a panic attack, but it's not thoroughly written. Take care of yourself.

He was sitting at the counter in the kitchen, stirring his tea slowly, his mind distracted, eyes slightly hazy as he thought about Tim. It hadn’t been long since the paramedic’s death and TK —- he couldn’t help but feel guilty. 

Guilty, because he hadn’t known the guy very well. But even more guilty because he had been so thankful it wasn’t his Dad who had gotten killed instead. And TK couldn’t help but wonder if that had made him a bad person, but he hadn’t gone to anyone with those thoughts because there was so much going on —

First with the wildfires, and meeting the 118, and now —

Now his parents, TK thought with a frown. His parents were acting weird. Well, more weird than when the pandemic first started, and they all had to get used to living in one roof again, and then TK had to get used to his parents having  _ sex _ again, which was something he definitely did **not** want to think about. 

Point was, his parents were acting weirder than usual and TK had no idea how to ask them what the hell was going on, especially because he couldn’t help but feel such a disconnect with his father that he hadn’t felt before, and didn’t know how to fix. (He didn’t even know if there  _ was  _ a disconnect, or he was just imagining things, admittedly). 

With a small huff of breath, TK finished stirring his tea, removing the stirring stick with a frown on his face before staring at the liquid in his mug, placing his head in his hands, his mind running with different thoughts. 

Continuing to sit there, TK doesn’t notice his parents enter the kitchen, doesn’t hear them calling for him, or even his Mom looking towards his Dad with an arch of her eyebrow before patting him on the arm and leaving. He doesn’t notice his Dad sitting in front of him or calling his name either, doesn’t even notice the frown that becomes more and more pronounced on his Dad’s face as TK continues to be lost in his thoughts. 

So lost in his thoughts, it isn’t until TK feels a pressure on his wrist that he finds himself blinking into awareness, looking up at his Dad in confusion with a tilted head before humming softly and lifting his mug to his lips and sipping from it. The tea is lukewarm now, not as hot as it was when he first poured the water from the kettle into the mug, and TK knows instantly that too much time has passed. He can’t help the grimace he makes when he takes a sip, wonders if he’ll be able to finish the tea before he decides to push through it. 

“When did you get here?” TK asks after a few minutes, staring at his Dad as he pushes his mug away after one more sip, wrinkling his nose while his Dad watches him with slightly narrowed eyes. 

“A little while ago. Your Mom was with me. We tried getting you to respond but you were very lost in your thoughts,” His Dad responds and TK hums before nodding his head, remaining quiet, not quite sure what to say. 

“What were you thinking about?” Owen asks, and TK almost freezes, about to pull the mug back to himself so he could have something to hold. 

“Just things,” TK ends up responding after a few minutes, looking up at his father, a surge of guilt coursing through him when he notices his Dad looking at him with his own frown. 

“Can we talk?” TK hears his Dad ask and he finds himself nodding, looking away and biting the inside of his cheek. He doesn’t know what his Dad wants to talk about, finds his heart beginning to race inside of his chest as he runs through ideas in his mind as to what his Dad could possibly want to talk about.

“Sure. What about?” TK finds himself asking, biting his lower lip instead of the inside of his cheek. His Dad continues to look at him with a frown, and TK can’t help but continue to feel nervous, wondering what’s going through his mind. The two of them are silent for a few more minutes, and TK can’t - he can’t handle this silence.

“Dad---”

“Your Mom is pregnant,” TK hears and he finds himself blinking, his mouth dropping open as he tries to process what he just heard. His Mom is  _ pregnant _ ? TK can’t help but cringe at that thought before his eyes widen and he closes his mouth.

His Mom is pregnant. Does that mean he’s being replaced? Does that mean his parents --

“TK, breathe,” he hears coming from behind his back, and he twists his head to look at his Dad, eyes widening as he wonders when his Dad moved to stand behind him, his hand rubbing calming circles on his back. His Dad never does that - not anymore - not unless he’s having a panic attack and a small chuckle escapes from TK as his Dad sits down next to him on the stool.

“You’re okay. Everything is okay,” his Dad says, voice soft and TK lets out another chuckle, rubbing at his face, realizing he’s been crying, which only has him chuckling once more before turning towards his Dad.

“You and Mom are having a kid?” He asks and he can’t help but wonder if he’s pouting because his Dad looks at him with a soft look and TK -- TK doesn’t understand it.

“We’re having a  _ second _ kid, TK,” His Dad says, voice soft and TK finds himself looking at his Dad once more with wide eyes, wondering what his Dad means exactly.

“You’re always going to be our kid, no matter how old you are, you know that right?” His Dad asks and TK nods ,though he’s  _ not _ sure, and his Dad must be able to read that in his face because he lets out a soft sigh and runs his fingers through his hair before squeezing his shoulder.

“TK. No matter what happens, we love you. You’re always our kid. Your Mom and I weren’t expecting to have a second kid, especially this late in the game,” his Dad chuckles here and TK lets out a small smile, looking towards his Dad, wiping his eyes once more.

“You’re not --” TK begins, biting his lower lip, looking away briefly before letting out a soft sigh.

“No,” His Dad says and TK looks towards him with a frown, not sure how his Dad even knew what he was going to ask.

“We’re not ever going to replace you. We love you,” Owen replies and TK finds himself nodding, looking away before looking back when his Dad squeezes his shoulder once more.

“I know you kid. You have something else on your mind,” TK stays quiet for a few minutes, not sure if he should say what’s on his mind before looking at his Dad. He can see the confusion on his face but more importantly, he can see the worry and the hurt and he  _ hates _ that this is happening because of him. Hates that his Dad is still worried about him, even after all of this time.

“I just feel like we’re not as close anymore,” TK admits, looking away before continuing, “Ever since I got shot - ever since I said all I wanted was a Dad--” TK breaks away here, and he still feels guilty about saying what he said, even though it was the truth.

A minute later, he can feel his Dad’s hands on his cheeks, can feel his head being nudged up, and he’s greeted with a small smile on his Dad’s face, eyes wet with unshed tears.

“You know I can never be mad at you for saying that right?” His Dad asks and TK - TK shakes his head before letting out a small sob, placing his head on his Dad’s chest and closing his eyes briefly while his Dad wraps his arms around him, fingers tangling in the ends of his hair.

“I love you Ty. And I  _ know _ \- I know I wasn’t the best father to you growing up. It has been and always will be one of my biggest regrets. So I can understand why you said you wanted a Dad. I get it. And I can only hope it’s not too late to still be that Dad to you.” Owen whispers and TK finds himself blinking, surprised, before nodding his head.

“I love you, Dad. Even when I say things like earlier,” TK admits, and he can feel his Dad kiss the side of his head before he wraps his arms around him once more and squeezes, finally feeling calm.

“And I’ll help you out with the baby when you need it,” TK adds with a chuckle, a small smile resting on his face when his Dad laughs in response, tugging lightly on his strands, chuckling softly.

**Author's Note:**

> I would love it if you commented, as your comments always motivate me to write. If I missed ay triggers, please let me know. ♥


End file.
